Yarn and fabric and method of preparing same



Patented Feb. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE YARN ANDFABRIC AND METHOD OF PREPARIN SAME aware No Drawing. Application December 12, 1936, Serial No. 115,584

11 Claims. Cl. 11869) This invention relates to the production of yarns, and fabrics containing the same, from staple length fibres containing derivatives of cellulose.

5 An object of the invention is the economical and expeditious production of artificial yarns and fabrics that have the appearance of yarns and fabrics made from natural vegetable and animal fibres. Other objects of the invention will apl pear from the following detailed description.

7 It is known that yarns, and fabrics containing the same, may be made from staple length artificial fibres with or without the presence of vegetable and/or animal fibres. These yarns and l fabrics were made, however, with difilculty due to uneven drawing in the spinning operations, and-excessive breaking, of the fine denierfibres and the production of an excessive amount of fiy in cardingoperations. The production ,of com- 2o pact yarns of relatively low twist presented great diificulty. We have found that these difflculties, incident to making suchyarns by prior methods, may be overcome and' uniform, compact yarns.

formed without any more difficulty than attends the production of similar yarns from'natural fibres. This we accomplish by employing fibres containing derivatives of cellulose that are in the solvent phase, that is, the fibres contain a small .amount of residual solvent remaining from the process of their formation, or solvent which has been incorporated therein by treating the fibres with a solvent in the liquid or vapor state. Furthermore, by-employing this invention, there may be produced from derivatives of cellulose staple 5. fibres types of yarns that could not be formed prior to this invention.

It is known that fabrics containing a mixture I of animal fibres and artificial fibres containing derivatives of cellulose are made by a variety of processes. The majority of these fabrics, however, although they have the desired appearance have a boardy or rag-like hand and lack-valu minosity; By employing this invention which results in the formation of more compact and 5 .un'iform yarns, there may beproduced 'fabrics' which have 'a live'hand and good covering power. The artificial .fibres that are in the solvent phase may be made from any suitable derivative of cellulose such as theesters of cellulose, cellulose ethers, ,mixed cellulose esters and mixed ether esters of cellulose. Examples of esters of cellulose are cellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate, cellulose'formate, cellulose propionate and cellum lose butyrate; while examples of'cellulose ethers or woolen method of making yarn.

are ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose and benzy cellulose.

In accordance with this invention, we produce yarns, and fabrics containing the same, by spinning fibres at least some of which are staple 5 length fibres containing a derivative of cellulose which are in the solvent phase. A preferred staple fibre is formed of cellulose acetate, which fibre is in the solvent phase due to the presence of residual acetone or other solvent left therein at the formation of the filaments from which the fibre is cut or torn. If desired, up to 50% or more of natural fibres such as cotton, wool, silk staple, etc., may be mixed with the derivative of cellulose fibres in the solvent phase.

The artificial fibres may be formed by any suitablemethod, for example, by extruding an organic ester of cellulose dissolved .in a solvent through suitable orifices into a solidifying medium, thus forming substantially continuous filaments. 'A plurality of these filaments as they are formed, or filaments from a plurality of preformed packages, may be formed into a band or otherwise grouped together and cut or torn to suitable lengths of staplefibres. Either the substantlally continuous filaments or the staple fibres may be coated with lubricants, anti-static finishes or other eflect materials. They also may be passed through heated presses or rolls in such .a manner that they are embossed with a crimp.

30 Fibres from 2 to 12 inches or more in length may be employed in forming the yarns. However, it is preferred to use fibres from 2 to Sinches in length when processing the same by the cotton As stated above, this invention comprises the employment of artificial fibres containing a derivative of cellulose, which fibres are in the solvent phase during at least a partof the yarn forming operations. Dry phase and water phase fibres which have been converted back'into sol-' vent phase by treating the same with liquid or vapor solvents m'ayabe employed. 'For instance, 1 continuous filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose as they come from the spinning machine where they are formed are in the solvent phase, as they contain from 035 to 8%'or more of solvent. Even after the filaments are cut;'or torn to fibre length, they contain substantially the same amount of residual solvent. If these-fibres 50 are stored; in closed containers until used, they remain in a solvent phase but, if they are storedfor several weeks in receptacles open to the atmos'phere, the solvent-content thereof drops to below eifective percentage, in which case the fibres are in a dry phase. It fibres in the solvent phase are washed with water or other- Wise treated in aqueous baths such as is done in most dyeing operations, then moisture replaces the solvent in the fibres and the fibres are converted to a water phase. The dry phase fibres and water phase fibres may be converted back to the solvent phase by treatment with dilute solutions of a solvent or with a solvent vapor. It is preferable toemploy fibres in their original solvent phase as there are some physical properties of the fibres, which are in a large part due to the conditions of spinning that are not regained when dry phase and water phase fibres are converted back to the solvent phase.

Where derivative of cellulose fibres are stored or shipped prior to their conversion into yarns, it may be desirable to add to the spinning solutions from which the fibres are formed a small amount of a solvent for the derivative of cellulose having a higher boiling point than is normally employed. Also the solvent phase of the fibres may be prolonged by treating the fibres, or the filaments from which they are formed, with a coating which tends to retard evaporation of the residual sol-- vent. This coating may be any suitable oily or waxlike substance that tends to retard evaporation of the residual solvent. For convenience, the coating may be applied to the filaments ,as

they leave the spinning cabinet in which they are formed. However, the coating may be applied ments or fibres in the form of hanks or bundles in a bath of the coating substance.

- .The solvents or softeners having a higher boiling point than is normally employed, which may be added to the spinning solutions from which the fibres are formed, are, for instance, diethylene tives of cellulose that are in the solvent phase may be fiat,bulbous, round or.of any cross-section.

, These fibres may also be of anysuitable denier,

for instance, from one denier per filament to 20 or more denier per filament. In forming certain types of fabrics, especially those resembling fabrics made entirely of animal fibres, it is of advan- .tage to employ artificial fibres some of which have a small denier andothers which have a large denier.

- The fibres containing a derivative of cellulose 'that are in the solventphase may be used as a.

sole component in forming the yarn or these fibres may be mixed with other fibres, for instance, cot- .ton, wool, silk fibre, fibres formed from filaments of ,reconstituted or regenerated cellulose made by either" the cuprammonium or' viscose methods,

hemp and the like. This invention is particularly 1 applicable to, the production of yarns containing about parts of artificial fibres and 30 parts of animalfibres by either the woolen or cotton methods of forming yarns. preferable to have a large proportion of the artificial. fibres in the solvent phase.

This coating may be applied to the,

In this instance it is also.

In processing the yarns, the staple fibres containing derivatives of cellulose in the solvent phase, with or without other suitable fibres that it is desired to employ, may be coated with lubricants in volatile or non-volatile, aqueous or non- 5 aqueous carriers and the same fed to the customary machines employed in forming yarns of other fibres. For instance, yarns may be formed on machines employed for forming woolen yarns,

cotton yarns, silk waste yarns, etc. Yarn may 10 also be formed by the woolen. method, employing the Bramwell feed and a card, with customary workers and condensers for forming rovings. The rovings may be spun on the mule type spinning device or ring frames.

Yarns formed of or containing derivatives of cellulose fibres in the solvent phase may be woven, knitted, knotted or netted into suitable textile materials either alone or in conjunction with yarns containing other types of fibres. be employed either in the warpor the weft or both in the same manner with which similar yarns may be employed.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is given merely by way of lllusg5 tration and that many variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having described our invention, what we desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Method of forming yarns and fabrics containing artificial fibers, which yarns and fabrics have the appearance and hand of yarns and fabrics made of natural fibers, which comprises treatingartificial fibers, containing a derivative of a cellulose and which are in the solvent phase, with a substance adapted to retard evaporation of the residual solvent, mixing the so-treated fibers with different fibers and spinning the mixture of fibers into a yarn.

2. Method of forming yarns and fabrics containing artificial fibers, which yarns and fabrics have the appearance and hand of yarns and fabrics made of natural fibers, which comprises treating artificial fibers, containing an organic derivative of cellulose and which are in the solvent phase, with a substance adapted to retard evaporation of the residual solvent, mixing the sotreated fibers with different fibers and spinning the mixture of fibers into a'yarn.

3. Method of forming yarns and fabrics con- 50 taining artificial fibers, which yarns and fabrics have the appearance and hand of yarns and fabrics made of natural fibers, which comprises treating artificial fibers, containing cellulose acetate and which are in the-solvent phase, with a substance adapted to retard evaporation of the residual solvent, mixing the so-treated fibers with different fibers and spinning the mixture of fibers into a yarn.

4. Method of forming yarns and fabrics con 60 taining artificial fibers, which yarns and-fabrics have the appearance and hand of yarns and. fabrics made of natural fibers, which comprises treating artificial fibers, having a basis 'of a derivative of cellulose and containing a low boiling 65 solvent and a high boiling solvent, with a'substance adapted to retard evaporation of the sol-- vents, mixing the .so-treated fibers with natural fibers and spinning the mixture of fibers into a yarn.

5. Method of forming yarns and fabrics containing artificial fibers, which yarns and fabrics have the appearance and hand of yarns and fabrics made of natural fibers, which comprises They may 20 10v rics made of natural fibers, which comprises treating artificial fibers, having a basis of an organic derivative of cellulose and containing a low boiling solvent and a high boiling solvent, with a substance adapted to retard evaporation of the solvents, mixing the so-treated fibers with animal fibers and spinning the mixture'of fibers into a yarn. 1

7. Method of forming yarns and fabrics containing artificial fibers, which yarns and fabrics v have the appearance and hand of Yarns and tabrics made of natural fibers, which comprises treating artificial fibers, having a basis of cellulose acetate and containing a low boiling solvent and a high boiling solvent, with a substance adapted to retard evaporation of the solvents, mixing the so-treated fibers with animal fibers and spinning the-mixture of fibers into a yarn.

8. Method of forming yarns and fabrics containing artificial fibers, which yarns and fabrics have the appearance and hand of yarns and fabrics made of natural fibers, which comprises treating artificial fibers, having a basis of an organic derivative of cellulose and containing a low boiling solvent and a high boiling solvent,

- with a substance adapted to retard evaporation of the solvents, mixing from 50 to 95 parts of the so-treated artificial fibers with from to 50 parts of animal fibers and spinning the mixture of fibers into a yarn.

9. Method of forming yarns and fabrics containing artificial fibers, which yarns and fabrics have the appearance and hand of yarns and fabrics made of natural fibers, which comprises treating artificial fibers, having a basis of cellulose acetate and containing a low boiling solvent and a high boiling solvent, with a substance adapted to retard evaporation of the solvents,

mixing from 50 to 95 parts of the so-treated artificial fibers with from 5 to 50 parts of animal fibers and spinning the mixture of fibers into a yarn.

10. Method of forming yarns and fabrics containing artificial fibers, which yarns and fabrics have the appearance and hand of yarns and fabrics made of natural fibers, which comprises treating artificial fibers, having a basis of an organic derivative of cellulose and containing a low boiling solvent and a high boiling solvent, with a substance adapted to retard evaporation of the solvents, mixing 70 parts of the so-treated artificial fibers with 30 parts of animal fibers and spinning the mixture of fibers into a yarn.

11. Method of forming yarns and fabrics containing artificial fibers, which yarns and fabrics have the appearance and hand of yarns and fabrics made of natural fibers, which comprises treating artificial fibers, having a basis of cellulose acetate and containing a low boiling solvent and a high boiling solvent, with a substance adapted to retard evaporation of the solvents, mixing 70 parts of the so-treated artificial fibers with 30 parts of animal fibers and spinning the mixture of fibers into a yarn.

CAMILLE DREYFUS. HERBERT PLA'I'I. 

